The College Bully (Love Came In #2)

Chapter 27

consider yourself warned, content ahead is not for the faint-hearted ✨

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The next day in college is miserable.

I keep getting anxious and panicky for no reason, and things feel off to me - like I'm not really supposed to be there at that point in time. It almost makes me fidgety, and that combined with the pangs of hurt I keep feeling thinking about last night makes the day feel like a waste.

It's raining lightly when I leave from campus, and because I'd stayed back for some work after classes Roxy had already left, I was in for a walk in the rain alone back home. Usually, I love the rain - those incessant and stubborn showers in that gap of time between fall and summer which is where we are now are my favourite. Today, however, I only feel like crawling into bed and that makes me feel weak.

"No, Iris," I mutter to myself as I cross the road and start walking towards my house, pulling the thin jacket I'm wearing around me. "You're not going to let yourself get this affected. You will go home, put on some music, light a candle and dance in the kitchen as you do during the rain, right?" I sigh as the rain picks up a little, looking up at the sad sky.

I'm musing to myself about what I'd do when I get home seeing as all my work was basically done when the sound of a car pulling up ahead of me makes me slow down. As I move forward the passenger seat door opens and right there next to the rainy sidewalk is the person I can't stop thinking about as he stares up at me from the driver's seat.

Reece gestures to the seat just as the rain starts coming down heavier. "Get in Iris, you'll fall sick, I'll drop you at your place." His voice comes out strongly and mingles with the sound of rain hitting the ground.

I wipe a few drops off my face and climb inside without a word, not wanting to fight him. As soon as the door closes behind me the deafening silence makes me look up at Reece. He's staring at me with his usual unreadable expression. I blow out a breath when my eyes automatically scan his slightly wet hair and the t-shirt that's now kind of sticking to the strong and wide arm he has resting on the wheel. I clear my throat and look away with difficulty, trying to calm my overly active response to him.

"I'm going to ruin your seats, you know." My words come out softly because, for some reason, I don't feel like talking to him. Oh wait, I do know the reason -  he was an asshole to me and I can't and won't let that go easily.

Reece hums in a non-comital way and I turn to see his eyes on me as I place my bag down and pull my hair behind my ear. He presses something on his dashboard and Debussy starts coming through the speakers softly.

The car starts with a low growl and we start moving towards my apartment. I'm quiet as I look out the window and watch the passing scenery, with the soft sound of the rain hitting the car and the classical music filling the silence between us. We reach in a mere few minutes and Reece parks on the curb where the awning of the building stops the rain from hitting the car.

"Thanks for the ride," I mutter and pick up my bag. Before I can open the door a strong arm grips my wrist. I turn and see Reece's face close to mine, way too close, and the space feels small suddenly.

Reece leans back and I let go of the handle. I look away as he reaches into the compartment between us and removes something, but all I'm thinking about is getting out before I do something I'll regret later.

I push back a few wet strands that make their way forward and look towards Reece, who is opening a small slim box. Inside the box is a beautiful thin chain and a small pendant at the end of it, a shiny jade stone that winks up at me even in the dull light. It's small but it's so lovely a small sigh escapes me at the sight. Reece's large hands take the chain out surprisingly delicately as he keeps the box down and turns slightly towards me.